"He was an extremely hated guy on 19 November" - Aakash Chopra lauds Indian batter's knock in IND vs AUS 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded KL Rahul for taking the Men in Blue to a win in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia. He noted that the wicketkeeper-batter was primarily held responsible for India's loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final against the same opponents.

India bowled Australia out for 264 in the first semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday, March 4. Rahul scored an unbeaten 42 off 34 deliveries in the chase to help his side achieve the target with four wickets and 11 deliveries to spare.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener praised Rahul for silencing his critics with a match-winning knock in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final.

"KL Rahul - winning hit. I feel privileged when I am able to call the winning runs. So I was happy I was there, and I was even more happy for Rahul. Rahul gets trolled and even I also get trolled along with him for no rhyme or reason. He is not my friend. However, he was an extremely hated guy on 19 November," he said (7:30).

Chopra pointed out that the Karnataka player was brutally trolled after India's six-wicket defeat in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.

"No one was trolled more than him. (Virat) Kohli was also trolled, that he also played slow, but he was the Player of the Tournament. So people let him be, but no one spared Rahul. No one thought that Shreyas Iyer had gotten out in the 12th over, three people had gotten out, and the game had to be taken deep as Hardik (Pandya) wasn't there. Suryakumar (Yadav), who hadn't scored runs, was there," he observed.

KL Rahul walked out to bat when India were reduced to 81/3 after 10.2 overs in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. He scored 66 runs off 107 deliveries, adding 67 runs for the fourth wicket with Virat Kohli (54 off 63).

His knock helped India set a 241-run target for Australia. However, the total proved insufficient as Travis Head's 120-ball 137 helped the Aussies register a relatively easy six-wicket win with seven overs to spare.

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"The game was maybe hanging in the balance" - Aakash Chopra on KL Rahul's vital knock in 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final

KL Rahul struck two fours and as many sixes in his unbeaten 42 in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra highlighted the significance of KL Rahul's knock in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final.

"Let bygones be bygones. What was the case here? Here also, when Axar (Patel) got out, the game was maybe hanging in the balance. If two wickets had fallen there, the game could have gone awry. However, the guy stood there," he said (8:30).

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that Rahul delivered the goods despite not being best suited to bat in the lower-middle order.

"The role he has been given to bat against the old ball at No. 6 is the most difficult job in ODI cricket. Guys who have a lot of power in their arms, who can hit sixes while standing in their position, bat at No. 6. He is not meant to bat like that. He has to step out. He tries to do that job as well," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that KL Rahul is also made to open in Tests in seamer-friendly conditions in Australia and England, terming it the most difficult job in the longest format. He concluded by praising the 32-year-old for turning criticism into applause.